Construction method and cad system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for constructing a machine composed of several subassemblies, characterised as follows:—a substitute geometric element (EGEi), which provides a simplified representation of the object to be constructed is first defined for at least one object to be constructed; information concerning the geometry of the object to be constructed is assigned to the substitute geometric element (EGEi); a more detailed object is constructed using the substitute geometric element (EGEi) and/or the information assigned thereto.

1 - 54 . (Cancelled).  
   
   
       55 . A CAD system for supporting the design of a machine composed of several structural groups, said system comprising: 
 at least a first processor;    at least a first display device interfaced to said processor for displaying one or more structural objects of a machine to be designed;    a memory interfaced to said processor, said memory containing a plurality of layout elements each for forming one or more structural objects to be displayed on said display device; and    a program run by said processor for designing structural objects for a machine by carrying our the steps of:    for at least one object to be designed, identifying a first replacement layout element in said memory which shows the object to be designed in a simplified form on said display device;    assigning information regarding the geometry of said object to be designed to said    replacement layout element; and    constructing a more detailed version of said object to be designed through use of the replacement layout element and/or its assigned information, wherein a group of layout elements is assigned to said replacement layout element in the course of the design of said object.    
   
   
       56 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein information regarding the geometry of one or more objects that are adjacent to said object to be designed is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       57 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein a first group of internal information for designing the object to be designed itself, and a second group of external information for connecting/inserting the later designed object, or the present replacement layout element, to one or more adjoining objects, is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       58 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein at least a second replacement layout element is inserted into the first replacement layout element.  
   
   
       59 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein the replacement layout element is three-dimensionally reproduced as a replacement body.  
   
   
       60 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein the replacement layout element is selected to be a rotatory body.  
   
   
       61 . The CAD system of  claim 60 , wherein at least one diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element and a barrel of the rotatory body is designed through use of the diameter value.  
   
   
       62 . The CAD system of  claim 61 , wherein at least a second diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element and wherein a journal of the rotatory body is designed through use of the second diameter value.  
   
   
       63 . The CAD system of  claim 60 , wherein at least one length is assigned to the rotatory body.  
   
   
       64 . The CAD system of  claim 60 , wherein a position and dimension of at least one bearing site are assigned to the rotatory body.  
   
   
       65 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein at least one diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       66 . The CAD system of  claim 65 , wherein at least a second diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       67 . The CAD system of  claim 56 , wherein the required structural space for the object to be designed is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       68 . The CAD system of  claim 56 , wherein at least one diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       69 . The CAD system of  claim 68 , wherein at least a second diameter value is assigned to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       70 . The CAD system of  claim 69 , wherein a bearing between the object to be designed and an adjoining object is described by the second diameter value.  
   
   
       71 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein a printing press is designed through use of the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       72 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein at least one object is represented through use of the replacement layout element, said at least one object being selected from the group comprising: at least one printing unit, at least one turning element, at least one roll changer, at least one folding apparatus, a roll support for a printing press, at least one module of a roll support, at least one roll-transporting vehicle, at least one support element for receiving rolls of material, a rail element for guiding a roll-transporting element, a processing station for rolls of material, a machine for further processing of printed products, in particular folded printed products, at least one gripper element for picking up printed products, and a module of a machine for further processing of printed products.  
   
   
       73 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein a printing unit is represented through use of the replacement layout element, and inside this replacement layout element of the printing unit, a printing cylinder and/or an inking roller are represented through use of a plurality of additional replacement layout elements.  
   
   
       74 . The CAD system of  claim 55 , wherein said program allows selective display of either said replacement layout element or a layout element that displays said object to be designed in greater detail.  
   
   
       75 . The CAD system of  claim 56 , wherein the information from several replacement layout elements is linked.  
   
   
       76 . The CAD system of  claim 56 , wherein a build-up of a machine to designed is first determined in a rough layout through use of the input of said replacement layout element.  
   
   
       77 . A CAD system for aiding the design of an object composed of several structural groups, comprising: 
 at least one input device for inputting a layout description of the object, wherein the layout description comprises a plurality of layout elements;    at least one processor for calculating a graphic representation of the object from the layout description of the object;    at least one display device for displaying a representation of the object calculated by the processor; and    a program run by said processor for carrying out the functions of:    1) assigning the layout elements of the layout description in a tree-like structure with several levels to a plurality of groups;    2) assigning a replacement layout element to several of these groups on different levels;    3) assigning to said replacement layout element, a first group of internal information for designing the object to be designed itself, and a second group of external information for connecting/inserting the later designed object, or of the present replacement layout element to one or more adjoining objects; and    4) selectively taking into account in the course of calculating a representation of at least one of said groups, a totality of the layout elements assigned to the group, or the replacement layout element assigned to the group.    
   
   
       78 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein said program performs the assignment of one or more layout elements to a group in response to instructions input by a user.  
   
   
       79 . The CAD system of  claim 78 , wherein said program later assigns each previously input layout element to a group.  
   
   
       80 . The CAD system of  claim 79 , wherein the program opens a group of layout elements upon the instruction of a user, and assigns the layout elements which are input while said group is open to said group.  
   
   
       81 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein the program assigns a replacement layout element to a group in response to instructions input by a user.  
   
   
       82 . The CAD system of  claim 81 , wherein said program generates a group assigned to the replacement layout element in response to each input of a replacement layout element and/or the input of a declaration of an already input layout element.  
   
   
       83 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein the layout description of said object includes a multitude of layout descriptions of layout elements and/or other objects, which are parts of said object.  
   
   
       84 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , further comprising a plurality of work station computers, each comprised of at least one input device and a display device, wherein at least a first of the work station computers is assigned to one of the groups in such a way that an addition, change or removal of layout elements of the group is only possible at said first work station.  
   
   
       85 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein said program, in response to receiving the input of layout elements of the object into the CAD system, wherein a plurality of the input objects forms a group, and one of the input layout elements is a replacement layout element of the group, carries out the steps of: 
 determining whether in the course of calculating the representation of the object the replacement layout element or the totality of the group is to be made the basis;    calculating a representation of the object of the determination; and    displaying the representation on said display device.    
   
   
       86 . The CAD system of  claim 85 , wherein in response to receiving a command for opening a group, the program assigns layout elements received after receipt of said command to said group, but ceases assigning layout elements to said group after a command to close said group is received.  
   
   
       87 . The CAD system of  claim 85 , wherein said program, in response to a command, combines a selection of layout elements already previously input into a group.  
   
   
       88 . The CAD system of  claim 85 , wherein said program assigns the group to an already input layout element, which thereby becomes the replacement layout element of the group.  
   
   
       89 . The CAD system of  claim 85 , wherein the object is a complex machine comprised of a plurality of structural groups, a group of layout elements respectively represents a description of one of the structural groups, and the replacement layout element assigned to the group of layout elements approximates the physical layout of the structural group.  
   
   
       90 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein in response to receiving the input of a layout element approximating the layout of one of the structural groups and receiving the input of a group of layout elements which specify the details of the structural group, said program assigns the layout element which approximates the layout of the structural group to the group as a replacement layout element, determines whether in calculating the representation of the object the group of layout elements or the replacement layout element is to be made the basis, calculates a representation of the object of the determination, and displays the representation on said at least one display device.  
   
   
       91 . The CAD system of  claim 77 , wherein several work station computers are provided which access an object, wherein each work station can be switched, independently of the other work stations, between a detailed representation and a representation of a replacement layout element of said object.  
   
   
       92 . A CAD system for designing a machine composed of several structural groups, said system comprising: 
 at least a first processor;    at least a first display device interfaced to said processor for displaying one or more structural objects of a machine to be designed;    a memory interfaced to said processor, said memory containing a plurality of layout elements each for forming one or more structural objects to be displayed on said display device; and    a program run by said processor for designing structural objects for a machine by carrying our the steps of:    for at least one object to be designed, identifying a first replacement layout element in said memory which shows the object to be designed in a simplified form on said display device;    assigning information regarding the geometry of said object to be designed to said replacement layout element;    constructing a more detailed version of said object to be designed through use of the replacement layout element and/or its assigned information;    following the definition of the replacement layout element, designing said replacement layout element itself into a layout element with greater detail, wherein information regarding the geometry of one or more adjoining objects is assigned to the replacement layout element, said replacement layout element is determined to be a rotatory body, at least first and second diameter values are assigned to the information, a seating between the replacement layout element and an adjoining object is described through use of the second diameter value, a printing unit is represented through use of the replacement layout element, and inside said replacement layout element of the printing unit a printing cylinder or an inking roller are represented through use of a plurality of additional replacement layout elements.    
   
   
       93 . The CAD system of  claim 92 , wherein a group of layout elements is assigned to each one of the replacement layout elements, which is filled with layout elements in the course of the design of the structural component corresponding to the replacement layout element.  
   
   
       94 . The CAD system of  claim 93 , wherein the group of layout elements is still empty at the time of the input or the definition of the replacement layout element.